While other fathers were reading Disney stories to their kids, mine would wait until my mother was out of earshot, then treat me to some creepy classic from Edgar Allen Poe. Soon I was devouring H.P. Lovecraft tales, and moving on to King, Straub, Tolkien and everything else I could find to scare, thrill and amaze. And after closing each book I'd find time to dream that someday I'd try to do what they had done; and then I'd imagine that maybe someday I would help another dad's kid stay up after a story, afraid to turn off the closet light. more...
